Nonlinear Opt.: Auxiliary functions 1

1.1 General Theory

If someone would use the dominant function the whole time, he would be one-sided, always taking in information or always coming to decisions. Because of that, there is a secondary function the so called auxiliary function. The auxiliary function develops after the dominant function.You have to critically understand that the basis for good type progress is a well-developed auxiliary function that supports the dominant function.

1.1.1 Example

To set this in an example: The auxiliary function can be thought of as the first sailor on the ship whereas the captain is the dominant function. During the youth and puberty, persons come to develop skills in and rely on their dominant and auxiliary functions. They give less attention to the opposite functions.

1.2 Balance of dominant function

Everyone needs to be able to take in new information and everyone needs to be able to come to decisions about that information. The auxiliary function helps to ensure you doing both of them.

If someone is always gathering information, he would be blown around like a small boat with an oversized sail and a small keel—driven by any change in wind direction. Such a person would be constantly drawn by new cognitions, but would have difficulty making decisions or coming to conclusions. The auxiliary function brings the person’s focus to decisions.

In contrast, if a person is only making decisions, he would be like a boat with a very large keel and a small sail—very sure and stable, but not open to new wind direction. Such a person would be sure of his decisions, but would be unable to take in new information to modify his behavior as conditions changed. The auxiliary function brings the person’s focus to information.